Taniece Thompson-Smith is a 2025-2026 Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellow and 5th grade science teacher at Stafford Elementary, a model leadership campus in Abilene, Texas. She facilitates professional development and delivers keynote speeches about research-based strategies, science instruction, and culturally responsive practices. Taniece has been an educator for 17 years, teaching in the United States, Jamaica, and Japan. She was awarded the lifetime title as the 2024 Texas State Teacher of the Year (2023-2024), Ermalee Boice Instructional Advocacy Award (2024), and National Education Association Foundation Travelers Insurance Award for Teaching Excellence (2025). Taniece is involved in organizations like Raise Your Hand Texas and Science Teachers Association of Texas, as presenter, writer, and facilitator. She has a BS in computer science from Brooklyn College, graduate-level teacher certification from Rider University, and a MA in teaching with a specialization in multicultural and social justice education from California State University, Fresno.
